Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31243
Stuck on a clue in Daily Telegraph Cryptic 31243? Every clue is solved below with the definition, wordplay, and answer explained — plus hints for the tricks that catch most solvers out.
Across
1A — Started to grin, with idea developing (10) — ORIGINATED
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Definition
Definition found: 'Started' — The definition of the answer is 'Started'.The definition of the answer is 'Started'.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'developing''developing' signals anagram — rearrange the letters.
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Operation
'developing' signals a anagram operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'to grin, idea'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'to' → TO'to' supplies TO.
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Assembly
TO + GRIN + IDEA > TOGRINIDEA = ORIGINATED
6A — Feeling low with onset of depression (4) — MOOD
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Definition
Definition found: 'Feeling' — The definition of the answer is 'Feeling'.The definition of the answer is 'Feeling'.
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'onset of''onset of' picks first letter from 'depression'.
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Operation
'onset of' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'depression'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'low' → MOO'low' supplies MOO.
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Assembly
MOO + D = MOOD
10A — Plenty of beer swallowed by politician? On the contrary (5) — AMPLE
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'swallowed'
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Operation
'swallowed' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'beer politician?'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'beer' → ALE
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'politician?' → MP
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Assembly
ALE + MP = A(MP)LE
11A — Removes copies returned by judges (9) — SEPARATES
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Definition
Definition found: 'Removes'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'returned'
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Operation
'returned' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'copies'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'copies' → APES
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'judges' → RATES
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Assembly
(APES > SEPA) + RATES = SEPARATES
12A — Squeeze sandwiches hospital department gives out (8) — PRESENTS
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Definition
Definition found: 'gives out' — What do you give out?What do you give out?
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'sandwiches'
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Operation
'sandwiches' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Squeeze hospital department'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Squeeze' → PRESS
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'hospital department' → ENT
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Assembly
PRESS + ENT = PRES(ENT)S
13A — Smack rear in flamenco dance (5) — TANGO
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Definition
Definition found: 'dance'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'rear'
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Operation
'rear' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'flamenco'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Smack' → TANGA smack/sharp blow
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Assembly
TANG + O = TANGO
15A — See each lake during hike (7) — REALISE
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Definition
Definition found: 'See'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'during'
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Operation
'during' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'each lake hike'
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'each' → EACommonly used in Inventory and shipping
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'lake' → L
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'hike' → RISE
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Assembly
EA + L + RISE = R(EAL)ISE
17A — State education rejected by Bordeaux, nearly (7) — DECLARE
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Definition
Definition found: 'State'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'rejected'
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Operation
'rejected' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'education'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'nearly'
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Operation
'nearly' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Bordeaux,'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'education' → ED
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Bordeaux,' → CLARETCLARET (Bordeaux wine) nearly $\rightarrow$ CLARE.
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Assembly
(ED > DE) + (CLARET - T > CLARE) = DECLARE
19A — Residents name a town in Cornwall? Not at first (7) — NATIVES
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Definition
Definition found: 'Residents'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'Not at first'
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Operation
'Not at first' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'town in Cornwall?'
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'name' → N
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'town in Cornwall?' → ST IVESThe famous seaside town and port in western Cornwall)
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Assembly
N + A + (STIVES - S > TIVES) = NATIVES
21A — Let off religious education student? No problem (7) — RELEASE
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'religious education' → RE
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'student?' → L
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'No problem' → EASE
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Assembly
RE + L + EASE = RELEASE
22A — Meat – try half of it (5) — HEART
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Definition
Definition found: 'Meat'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'half of'
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Operation
'half of' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'it'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'try' → HEARTo "try" a case
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Assembly
HEAR + T = HEART
24A — Deletes broadcast covering Conservative getting appointed (8) — SELECTED
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'broadcast'
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Operation
'broadcast' signals a anagram operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Deletes Conservative'
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'Conservative' → C
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Assembly
C > DELETESC = SELECTED
27A — Loathsome, rotten, broody leader is dismissed (9) — OFFENSIVE
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Definition
Definition found: 'Loathsome,'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'leader is dismissed'
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Operation
'leader is dismissed' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'broody'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'rotten,' → OFF
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'broody' → PENSIVE
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Assembly
OFF + (PENSIVE - P > ENSIVE) = OFFENSIVE
28A — Open six deliveries, not just the last (5) — OVERT
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Definition
Definition found: 'Open'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'the last'
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Operation
'the last' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'just'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'six deliveries,' → OVER
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Assembly
OVER + T = OVERT
29A — Cornish river levels initially drop (4) — FALL
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Definition
Definition found: 'drop'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'initially'initially - select initial letter
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Operation
'initially' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'levels'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Cornish river' → FAL
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Assembly
FAL + L = FALL
30A — Fascinated teens tried dancing (10) — INTERESTED
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Definition
Definition found: 'Fascinated'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'dancing'
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Operation
'dancing' signals a anagram operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'teens tried'
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Assembly
TEENSTRIED = INTERESTED
Down
1D — Caesar perhaps heading off for monarchy in the Middle East (4) — OMAN
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Definition
Definition found: 'monarchy in the Middle East'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'heading'heading indicates firstletter of Old
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Operation
'heading' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'off'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Caesar' → MAN
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Assembly
MAN + O = OMAN
2D — Vital ship in an entrepot, finally (9) — IMPORTANT
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Definition
Definition found: 'Vital'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'finally'
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Operation
'finally' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'entrepot,'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'ship in' → IMPORT
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Assembly
IMPORT + AN + T = IMPORTANT
3D — Pyramid easily restricts views (5) — IDEAS
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Definition
Definition found: 'views'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'restricts'pyramID EASily
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Operation
'restricts' signals a hidden_word operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Pyramid easily'
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Assembly
IDEAS = IDEAS
4D — Want stomach muscles, Lawrence? Not half! (7) — ABSENCE
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Definition
Definition found: 'Want' — Want someone is missing them because they are ....Want someone is missing them because they are ....
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'half!'last half of the word Lawrence
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Operation
'half!' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Lawrence?'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'stomach muscles,' → ABS
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Assembly
ABS + ENCE = ABSENCE
5D — Former model with diamonds unmasked (7) — EXPOSED
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Definition
Definition found: 'unmasked'
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'Former' → EX
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'model' → POSE
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'diamonds' → D
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Assembly
EX + POSE + D = EXPOSED
7D — Old female goes on X frequently (5) — OFTEN
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Definition
Definition found: 'frequently'
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'Old' → O
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'female' → F
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'X' → TEN
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Assembly
O + F + TEN = OFTEN
8D — Found out Detective Inspector's hidden (10) — DISCOVERED
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Definition
Definition found: 'Found'
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Wordplay
Wordplay: CharadeNo indicator words here — the parts just join end to end. That's a charade.
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'Detective Inspector's' → DI
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'hidden' → COVERED
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Assembly
DI + S + COVERED = DISCOVERED
9D — Nit-picking of great consequence (8) — CRITICAL
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Double definitionTwo side-by-side definitions of the answer. No wordplay split — just spot that both halves define the same word.
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Assembly
CRITICAL = CRITICAL
14D — Nice bread or flan? Chef's confused (6,4) — FRENCH LOAF
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Definition
Definition found: 'Nice bread'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'confused'
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Operation
'confused' signals a anagram operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'or flan? Chef's'
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Assembly
ORFLANCHEFS = FRENCHLOAF
16D — Arousing Victor instead of Charlie is tempting (8) — INVITING
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Definition
Definition found: 'tempting'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'instead'Swap C for a V
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Operation
'instead' signals a substitution operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Victor Charlie'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Arousing' → INCITING
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Assembly
INCITING - C + V = INVITING
18D — See Batman's awful humiliation (9) — ABASEMENT
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Definition
Definition found: 'humiliation'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'awful'
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Operation
'awful' signals a anagram operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'See Batman's'
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Assembly
SEEBATMANS = ABASEMENT
20D — Sounds picked up around end of business meeting (7) — SESSION
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Definition
Definition found: 'meeting'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'picked up'Down clue so picked-up is reversal
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Operation
'picked up' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Sounds'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'end'
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Operation
'end' signals a letter_selection operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'business'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'around'
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Operation
'around' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Sounds business'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Sounds' → NOISES
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Assembly
(NOISES > SESION) + S = SES(S)ION
21D — Always upset about priest's excuse (7) — RELIEVE
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Definition
Definition found: 'excuse'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'upset'
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Operation
'upset' signals a reversal operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Always'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'about'
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Operation
'about' signals a container operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Always priest's'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Always' → EVER
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'priest's' → ELIOld testament term
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Assembly
(EVER > REVE) + ELI = R(ELI)EVE
23D — Just removing large pants (5) — AWFUL
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Definition
Definition found: 'pants' — British slang. "The weather today is pants."British slang. "The weather today is pants."
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'removing'
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Operation
'removing' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Just large'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Just' → LAWFUL
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Abbreviation
Abbreviations spotted: 'large' → L
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Assembly
LAWFUL + L > LAWFUL - L = AWFUL
25D — Wardrobe almost shut (5) — CLOSE
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Definition
Definition found: 'shut'
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Indicator
Indicator found: 'almost'
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Operation
'almost' signals a deletion operation
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Fodder
Fodder: 'Wardrobe'
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Synonym
Synonyms spotted: 'Wardrobe' → CLOSET
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Assembly
CLOSET - T = CLOSE
26D — Physically attractive male boss (4) — STUD
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Wordplay
Wordplay: Double definitionTwo side-by-side definitions of the answer. No wordplay split — just spot that both halves define the same word.
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Assembly
STUD = STUD